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French Culture and Paris Travelling

Most people associate French culture with Paris, which is a center of fashion, cuisine, art, and architecture. Some would say that the “City of Light” is a place where time stands still, while others would talk about its fairytale-like appearance. Fortunately, I had the chance to see the capital of France myself. The first place in Paris that I truly got to know was the district where my language school was.

During my studies at Eurocentres, I often walked through the Latin Quarter and I discovered the true beauty of the place where the old and new collided. The old buildings from the baroque and medieval era are now mixed with modern buildings that were built mostly for the students who reside in the area. The quarter is bisected by the Boulevard St. Michel and the Boulevard St. Germain. When you take a walk along the Boulevard St. Michel you will see the Place St. André des Arts which was a gathering place for many French artists that resided in the bistros, coffee shops and restaurants that still dot the place. After some time of walking along the Boulevard St. Michel, you will reach the second main artery of the area, Boulevard St. Germain.

The two streets intersect near the ancient Roman baths that house the museum filled with books, artifacts and artwork from Medieval Europe. Besides the schools and museums, the Latin Quarter is a place where you can find various shops, museums, and hotels. After I settled in, I decided to visit some of the most popular tourist attractions in Paris. First one was definitely the place that most of us saw at least hundred times in romantic movies.

The Eiffel Tower. The metal giant that oversees the City of Light as a watchful guardian during the day, and shines like a beacon during the night. After waiting in the long queue, I finally got to the top of the tower and saw the beautiful view of the city. I saw numerous buildings, both ancient and new, surrounded by crowded streets that are mostly connected to Champs-Elysées, the most famous avenue in the world. The Champs-Elysées means “Elysian Fields” which indicates that someone thought this street was heaven on earth. From there, I could easily reach the Louvre, that majestic museum that holds so many treasures of various civilizations and the Arc de Triomphe, a monument dedicated to French victories in the Napoleonic wars. If there was a road that could lead you to any location of importance in Paris, The Champs-Elysées could be most certainly labeled as such.

I also visited Moulin Rouge, a cabaret where the first can-can dance was played. Marked by the red windmill on its roof, the place is very hard to miss. After some time in Paris, I found myself on the road to Amboise. The castle is southwest of Paris and overlooks the road between Orleans and Tours. Built in the middle ages, the castle is a sight to behold. It is surrounded by massive walls and its gardens and the Loire river are a remarkable panorama to see. The interior of the castle was decorated by French and Italian artists and its walls and floors are still decorated with Flemish tapestries and Turkish carpets.

On my way back to Paris I started to think about the time that I need to visit the rest of the monuments and tourist attractions in France. I don’t think that one lifetime could cover that. Especially if you are to spend time sampling the finest French wines (which tasted like nectar, the drink of the gods) and the best food that French cuisine has to offer. To travel that beautiful land is like opening a book with joyfully colored pages that have no end.

It’s a once in a lifetime experience, the one that I recommend to everyone who knows how to appreciate art, architecture, history and a good glass of wine. And so, as I was getting ready to go home, I thought that for once the internet was right, and that City of Light and France are truly the places that everyone should visit at least once in a lifetime.